Discordare
by utopiosphere
Summary: The war has not ended; Michael's arrival on Earth was only the beginning. Jeep, Charlie, and the baby are still on the run with angels on their tails whilst Gabriel has made it all personal. And when Michael thought he was the only angel who stood on mankind's side, the only one to oppose Him, the arrival of another one of his kind changes it all.
1. Prologue

Author's Note: Hello reader. Before we start, I'd just like to note that since the ending of the movie was not explained well and was left ambiguous, I had no choice but to interpret it as I saw reasonable. The result was this story. And on another note, my character addition her who is supposedly my OC is actually an angel who can be found in various stories around the world just like Michael and Gabriel etc. Yet she is not my OC nor do I claim her to be mine. I'll simply flesh her character out (Fun fact though irrelevant: I roleplay her in Tumblr so I know how to handle her, portray her, etc.). Basically, my take on what happens after the movie ended.

* * *

**Prologue**

A cool breeze whipped past, blowing dark hair into tangles along the wind as the angel impatiently paced back and forth as she waited for a certain two to pass by her spot. But time was ticking and with each second that passed by, her heart beat faster as panic rose inside her. And at this moment, she was simply doing her best to keep herself patient.

White robes trailed her as Charmeine began biting her fingernails in anxiety ashe heard the beating of wings around Heaven; armies of angels were already preparing and everything seemed out of place- everything was falling out of place. This was not supposed to happen. But what happened? What prompted God to give out the order?

When her ears picked up the familiar voices of Raphael and Uriel, the female turned around to see the pair passing by where she was; she couldn't help but rush towards the two who were walking side by side discussing matters. When she halted in front of the duo, their attention was diverted to her as their eyes widened in surprise and curiosity. "Charmeine?" questioned Raphael.

Charmeine's eyes ran over the two before she said a word; both were already donned in their armors with each with his own weapon tucked in in either his back or his side. The attire only drove her further into fear as she breathed in before breathing out words. "Please, tell me- is He really adamant about this order? Is there no other way to-"

"The order has been given out, Charmeine." interrupted Uriel. "And there's nothing else you can do. We're just taking orders from him. I'm sorry."

Despair and dismay overwhelmed Charmeine as her hands reached to cover her face as she slowly gave a nod of her head, blue eyes glancing at the two for a brief moment where she notices the woeful expressions painted on their face. Yet their sadness was not for mankind but for her. And she knew that very well.

She felt a hand land on her shoulder as Raphael patted her to which she responded with a shake of her head. After years of hard work, bringing harmony to mankind and exterminating discord, this was how it was all going to end?

"Who did He order?" she asked with the audacity to do so, withdrawing her pale hands from her face then looking at them with a straight face. "Was it all of you?"

"No. He ordered Michael. But he's reluctant. And if he dare goes against Him, there will be consequences." Raphael confirmed.

"That's why he must make up his mind," added the other angel, shaking his head. "A conflict of decisions."

"That's why our armies are preparing. In case Michael refuses, Gabriel will be going instead." the other angel added.

At those words, Charmeine let out a sigh of perturbation before looking away. _Michael,_ her mind echoed, the name ringing a bell. He was a total stranger to her, though they've spoken to each other more than once but their conversations but brief. They were what one would call acquaintances. Whereas she knew Raphael and Gabriel very well, both Uriel and Michael were not familiar to her. Yet the thought of Gabriel doing what was required . . . it all seemed out of place to her. But then again, they were just taking orders after all.

Various thoughts danced around inside her mind as she began to panic inwardly. She hid her emotions with difficulty and she needed a moment or two to calm herself. And when she was done, she faced again the two angels and looked at them with her icy blue eyes.

"You do know where I stand . . ." she said with a hint of defiance laced in her voice, to which Raphael and Uriel nodded their heads.

"Good. Then you know that I disagree with all of these." the female declared, glancing behind her shoulder, towards the armies beyond, before facing the two again. "That if I had to take sides, I'd stand on where Michael stands- though alone."

No, she didn't know what reasons Michael had in going to the other side, opposing Him, but Charmeine had her own reasons and that was enough.

"But Charmeine-" Raphael began, who had a worried look on his face, to which she held a hand up to stop him from speaking further.

"I know there will be consequences. You said it yourself, Raphael. But I am the Angel of Harmony and it is not only my duty to keep peace among mankind but this was why I was born. No, I just can't stand here and watch the annihilation of mankind, all my life's work and effort to go to waste. My heart has grown to it, to remaining harmony no matter how difficult of a feat it is. And I know that if I go against Him, then I also against you two. Against you all. And I know it will be very dangerous for me yet He left me no choice . . . I have to take risks."

The two angels simply stared at her, though the same expression remained on Raphael's face. Uriel kept a serious face on.

"I've made my decision. And there's nothing else that can change my mind, most especially my heart." Charmeine stated in a calm tone before turning her back on the two but not before seeing Raphael shake his head in distress.

And when she was about to take a step forward, a voice stopped her as two words echoed through her mind.

"Very well." she heard, and she knew that it was Uriel who uttered those words. And she knew very well what those two words meant: that if she certainly got in the way, it would not end well for her.

_There's no turning back now, _her mind said before Charmeine spread her white elegant wings and took off with the wind. Uriel's words would remain until this was all over and though they stood on opposite sides of the river bank, she would never perceive him as her enemy.

* * *

Author's Note: I know this chapter's short but it's only the prologue after all. I promise the following chapters will be longer than this, cross my heart.


	2. Taking Risk

Author's Note: This was FanFic was rated T for a reason. Blood trigger warning on this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter One**

**Taking Risk**

"Hey." the word slipped from Charlie's lips as she called out to the man who was leaning against the side of their Jeep Wagoneer ( they made occasional jokes about the vehicle's name) whereas she in the shotgun seat. There was a small smile on her lips, a soft breeze blowing her wild curls into a mess yet Jeep could only see her beauty as he glanced up from the map in his hands to her direction. "What?"

"You do realize that tonight's New Year?" she asked, tilting her head to the side, her baby cradled in her arms, as her smile grew more visible to which Charlie replied with a chuckle. "Yeah, I was aware of that."

A moment of silence passed between the two, who had stopped in a gas station, as Jeep returned his attention to the map before Charlie broke the silence. "With anything that can happen anytime with . . . this shit we're caught in, I might as well say it then; Happy New Year."

Jeep once again looked away from the map, his lips pressed into a thin smile, as he gazed at Charlie. "It's just several more hours 'til midnight. It's-" he paused, looking at his watch. "-11 in the morning."

"But a lot can happen in a few hours." she answered, raising her eyebrows at him to remind him of what happened just days ago in the diner; a lot did happen in just those two days. What had seemed like another ordinary day turned out to be something more. Say, the almost-end-of-the-world.

Jeep could only smile wistfully at her words as he understood what she meant before he gave his reply. "Happy New Year, Charlie." he said, nodding his head, before adding some more words after a moment passed.

"Which reminds me . . . where are we supposed to have lunch?"

* * *

_"Have faith."_

Those were the words he said to Jeep before he took off. But though he gave the impression of leaving the three alone, he didn't. In fact, he never did.

From his spot, he could spot the Jeep Wagoneer (he had thought it to be an excellent choice earlier with the hint of the vehicle's name with the lad) and the three occupants, with Jeep studying a map and Charlie cradling her baby, the trio taking a break in the shade while they fueled their vehicle with gas. His ears picked up a short conversation with words exchanged and a laugh or two but that was it. Even though he was near them, he always had to keep a safe distance enough to guard them yet not be noticed by either.

What he knew though was that several minutes drive from where the trio had rested in the mean time, would be shelter where a militia hid as earlier mentioned when Audrey picked up the station and the news. But they'd have to discover that for themselves with him taking no part in it; this was their journey after all.

Six days had passed since that night, the 25th of December, where the trio had spent the next three days searching (but honestly, it was more like stealing, given their situation) for a proper vehicle and other requirements before proceeding to the Red Ridge National Park which they were already in yet somewhat far from any militia as they had heard. Save Michael, who was the nearest to them since he 'left'.

And there he was, in some spot that was fairly far, as Michael watched things unfold between the two before he saw Jeep get in the driver seat and drive away from the gas station. But before the angel could take off and follow, he had the mind to look in their path to see if there was any incoming trouble. But in this case, there was none yet the possibility lied there- even though he was an angel again, the order was still out. Almost nothing had changed; he still didn't take any orders from Him. With reassurance, Michael took off as he stayed away a decent space to keep himself from being seen.

But damn was it hard being alone for the past days.

Yet he knew it was right to put his faith and trust into Jeep in protecting the baby. In their current state, everything was clearly well and it simply pleased and even impressed Michael. Without him, they had made it this far and that definitely an achievement. Then there was the fact that they were learning. In what he was seeing, he knew that he made the right decision to go against Him, though alone he was on doing so among his kind.

Or so he thought.

* * *

So this was how it was supposed to be.

But Charmeine wasn't going to complain now, there was no way she would. She said she'd have to take risks, she knew she had to if she wanted to get somewhere, and this was her now taking risks.

Because the only way to sever herself and her ties from Heaven, from Him, and from her kind was to cut off her own wings.

Letting a few minutes pass since her arrival on Earth, the angel then closed her eyes for a moment to have a peace of mind before opening her blue orbs then taking out the only weapon she ever had being the Angel of Harmony and not a part of His army- a dagger.

It felt odd in her hand, out of place. Rarely did she ever take the midsized weapon out with the intention of actually using it. She only did so three times after her short training and she didn't even use it; she simply made a show of doing so. But it had only been in the act of persuasion.

Under the dim light, the sharp blade shone as Charmeine's trembling hand gripped it hard as she prepared herself for what she was about to do. Then she did the first step- cut through the straps and sleeves of her robes before shouldering off the white cloth, leaving her upper part bare in front of the mirror.

Allowing a few seconds for her to stare at herself, the female then took a small number of deep breaths before raising the dagger up, no matter how heavy it seemed to be in her hand, before suddenly bringing it down and severing through the top of her left wing which began an inch higher from her shoulder blade. She was doing it blindly but there was no other way to do it. Then in pain did she let out a scream to let it the pain out before she silenced herself and continued cutting through.

The pain was almost unbearable yet it was imaginable. But this was the most painful she had experienced yet in her life and she doubted there was anything else to match it. Not even the feeling of Gabriel's sword stab her side while they were in training which she thought would the most painful she'd have to experience. It was even that instance where she had become friends with the angel who had apologized to her after their training while she being healed.

Yet nonetheless, she continued, cutting her way through the flesh and her wing; her bones sliced and nerves disconnected and skin split at the seam, failing to contain the blood as the crimson fluid descended down her pale back from the open wound and staining her white robes. And suddenly, the cold touching her back vanished only to be replaced by the warm flow of her own blood. With the pain combined, it was as if her back was set on fire and left to burn. Charmeine let out the occasional yet very brief yelp before she finally reached the end of her left wing which was a mere 4 inches from her waist.

It was only but a tear that fell down her cheek then as she heard a soft thump as her left wing hit the tiled floor, the weight leaving her back. She had the mind to close her eyes then to save her the sight of seeing what would happen to the bloody feathered thing. And when a minute passed, after a minute of heavy breathing and racing heartbeats, she couldn't help but look down only to see the what was left of her robes that covered her lower half was drenched in blood, creating a crimson color.

Then came the next wing, her right one. By the time she was midway, she was already familiarizing herself with the physical pain as she allowed herself to let out the tears; at least she didn't scream this time, her yelps of pain simply replaced with short gasps as her body shook.

Then it was done.

When she hears the soft thump and feel her back free of weight, Charmeine lets herself falls to her knees, her body weakened by the ordeal and the loss of blood, as the bloodied blade slipped from her sweaty palm, clanging as it hit the floor while the angel bent over and gritted her teeth to keep it under her control as she caught her breath. There was a roaring in her ears and her heart was racing so fast it felt it was going to burst out of her chest any second.

And after she straightens up, that's when the blue halo descends down on her, closing around her neck before she felt it vanish into thin air, as she hears the soft metallic click then see the metal collar fall to floor in addition to the mess surrounding her. And with that she let out a tired sigh before getting to her feet.

Her legs were wobbly while she got up but her grip on the sink kept her in balance. When her own reflection greeted her, Charmeine couldn't help but let out a small gasp in surprise. Her face was pale as if the color drained from her (she lost a large amount of blood after all) and she had faint tear stains down her cheek with her forehead wet with sweat. So was her raven hair with ends dripping with blood. Her shoulders, arms, and sides looked worse, crimson blood flowing down further staining her robes.

The next step, she knew, would be difficult and cause her pain all the same but she knew it'd be less- recovery. Bloodied hands then reach for the first-aid kit in the sink as she opened it and took out what she needed before sighing in pain. Then facing her back to the mirror, looking behind her shoulder, she stabbed her skin with the needle. The moment the sharp metal made contact with her skin, the female let out a gasp; it was like being electrocuted, only it was her nerves that made her feel the rush as she blinked in pain and surprise. Doing her best to ignore the new sensation, she continued on sewing her skin shut and tightly as she can. Little blood escaped to join the copious amount soaking her lower body, but that was it, as Charmeine sewed her way down, messily stitching up her own flesh with but several glances behind her shoulder alone.

A few more gasps and groans escaped her lips during the ordeal but that was it. When the procedure was finished, lithe fingers instantly dropped the bloodied needle into the sink, producing a soft metallic sound as it dropped before the female's grip on the sink tightened as she saw her own blue eyes somehow bloodshot and welling up with tears.

But she was, at least, done, with it all.

_I'm human._

She was now mortal, just how she should be if she was to enter the mortal world; she was no longer an angel, but a fallen one. Somehow, someday, the thought of her regaining her former status loomed in her mind but she doubted the time would be anywhere near after her decision and the actions she took.

And it seemed highly unlikely, as well, seeing how far she went to defy His orders.

After all, she was simply doing her duty but only in a different way that no one expected, no one alone dare thought of. And that was this way.

She had always been thought to be fragile and vulnerable by most of her kind but that was Charmeine, underestimated. Except Raphael and Gabriel who actually knew of what she capable of. After all, there was more to her than meets the eye.

And after what she went through, the former angel couldn't help but let out a laugh. But nothing was funny, of course, not in her current state- not in Earth or Heaven's state. Rather, it was laugh made out of her hysteria and pain. It was better to laugh than to cry, after all.

* * *

Author's Note: If anyone's wondering or asking, Charlie did give birth on December 25. I did research (heck, I did a lot of research before starting this FanFic) and it's not a headcanon nor an opinion but a fact that mankind's savior was born on Christmas in the movie. We good? Reviews are deeply appreciated and criticism is welcome and helpful (really, don't be afraid to criticize as long as it's not hate). And shout out to Faasnu Vahlok for giving the first review; thanks!


	3. Vexatious

Author's Note: Can I just be honest for a minute here and have a say on Charmeine and confess how much her name is just not my type? It just seems too girly and all but that's just me, I guess. But then again, she's not my OC but I'm not planning to change her name anytime. Yaddah, yaddah, whatever.

* * *

**Chapter Two**

**Vexatious**

Ten minutes it was since they last stopped for gas and it was just their luck that after that long, a diner with a motel beside it in the distance crossed their line of sight. And with that much luck after the events at the diner, Jeep couldn't help but whoop in delight as Charlie laughed along in delight and relief. After their hard work and effort in looking for the militia camps, they finally succeeded in their quest. And this was the happiest Charlie was ever since she saw Jeep survive his fall with Gabriel.

"I guess we know where we're having lunch now."

From where he was, Michael could see the couple's glee. But happiness was viral, even for the angel, as a small smile found its way to his lips. Indeed, he was happy for them after six days of searching and preparing but of course, he still had to make sure the coast was clear for them. Who knew what danger lied ahead- what if the diner and the motel was simply a trap? And when he was just about to fly further, he felt a sharp and sudden pain to his side as he was knocked out of the air by a sudden force, sending Michael out of balance as he spiraled out of control before hitting the ground, his wings blowing sand everywhere upon collision.

It would've not been that painful for him if it wasn't so sudden with a very strong force as Michael groaned outloud before lying down on his back, clutching his side. Even though his muscles and bones ached, the voices in his mind still screamed louder for Jeep, Charlie, and the child's safety. Even though he didn't see anyone suspicious-looking ahead in their way, he still had to be on the look-out. And where was he? Down on the ground, groaning in pain, as he gathered what strength he had left before slowly sitting up with his hands supporting his upper body.

But he was focusing on his own pain as he forced himself to get over it in order to quickly get back in his place for the trio's sake; so focused he was on that matter that he barely noticed the shadow descending before him until he felt something- or rather a someone- hit the ground as sand scattered everywhere from the impact of the landing.

Blue eyes glance forward and up and what the angel saw made his heart skip a beat as eyebrows scrunched up in confusion and surprise. _No, no, no._

Because standing in front of him was the familiar brother with the strong stature, blue eyes, dark hair, and most of all, elegant wings as dark as his own; Gabriel.

And his presence only meant but one thing that made Michael's heart sink- trouble.

* * *

When her ordeal and the tidying up was done, her choice of wardrobe was very limited then, it dawned upon her. But it's not like she cared about what she was going to wear- her sense of fashion was the least of her worries in a situation like this. So when she exited the building, Charmeine donned casual pants, leather boots, a black turtleneck, and a coat. And underneath her coat was the dagger and the addition of a pair of guns; she may not be the best fighter around but she certainly knew which weapons to bring. Had she a car though, she would've gotten a lot more artillery but the scene of the Angel of Harmony stealing a car and more weapons was highly unlikely to happen (stealing clothes and two guns was enough for her for the night; "Thou shall not steal.").

A cold damp night it was as the female walked down the street. The place was desolated by the looks of broken windows, abandoned cars, and empty buildings. _It's begun,_ the thought entered her mind as Charmeine tied her hair up in messy bun with a strip of her robe she tore off earlier as she continued her way forward, doing her best to ignore the pain her stitched back was going through with the position and movement of her arms. _It's begun._

"Well, well, who do we have here?"

That was when a masculine voice pierced the silence, prompting the former angel to spin around only to be greeted with the sight of a stern-looking Uriel in his battle gear, a sword in one hand. How come she hadn't noticed his presence? His arrival? And had he been without the large weapon, she wouldn't be as frightened as she was currently. Breaths escaped her lips as they formed into a cloud in front of her before Charmeine was able to find her voice again through the sea of shock she just fell in seconds earlier.

"Uriel." she began, shaking her head. "You did all these?" she asked, gesturing around the deserted place, her voice tinged with disbelief.

"Have you forgotten our need for vessels to be able to hide among men? I believe it's a much easier way to walk on Earth rather than to cut one's wings off." taunted the angel, sheathing his sword behind his back with its pair as he kept his gaze Charmeine. It was then he noticed the absence of her wings; sure, she couldn've been using glamour to conceal her wings or perhaps retracted them into her back even, despite the procedure to do so being complex, but the collar was gone where it should've be. The turtleneck did cover her neck but the absence of the bulge clarified her separation from Him.

His words did unnerve Charmeine to her shock. She didn't imagine it'd be this hard after all she did but she was rattled, disturbed. But then again, she had to take risks and do things she never thought she'd have to do and that included having to stand her ground.

So she does her best to look unfazed and kept her icy blue hues on his brown ones, gritting her teeth and she clenched her fists on her side. "We have make certain sacrifices for the greater good. And possession . . . really? And I never thought you'd do such a thing. A thing of such low degree that only demons would do such a deed. And you, Uriel, of all angels? You, the angel of peace?" she replied, exhaling out the exasperation in her voice to let Uriel know that she was not backing down. Her words were also said in hopes of letting him feel what she felt earlier with his words.

Yet Uriel can only shake his head as he broke eye contact and glanced on the ground. But he wasn't going to admit anytime soon that her words did sting him harder than he thought she could. "You detached yourself from Heaven and from Him for one child?" he replied instead, diverting from their subject.

"Yes, but this child is mankind's savior. The second Messiah- not just any child." she protested, as she dared to take a step forward. "I detached myself for mankind."

Uriel had no instant answer to her reply. Instead, he began to pace in small circles, lost in thought, as Charmeine simply stared in dismay, a quiet proudness in her stance. When almost a minute had passed, the angel dropped to a stop, looked up, and turned to her again, his voice a different tone- a darker one.

"Remember- if you go against Him, you against your kind as well. And two angels against armies, you and Michael . . . you will fail." he remarked, studying the female with those mesmerizing blue eyes of hers and her unfamiliar appearance, with casual clothes and unkempt hair to replace her usual white robes and locks of hair that used to tumble down her neck and shoulders before. "You, Charmeine- of all people besides Michael to turn against Heaven, it's you."

Charmeine had no answer to that. She was too shocked to form a coherent reply to his words. Ah, yes. Because being the Angel of Harmony, she was simply expected to stand on the side and watch as things unfold as Earth and mankind were plunged into turmoil like she was simply watching another normal day in her life.

But that was her, thought to be weak by most. Gabriel was even on that list, much to her irritation. Just typical of some her kind to think of the Angel of Harmony to simply be harmonious and kind in nature yet when it comes to life-and-death decisions or anything similar, she'd back down or hide even. Maybe as a child she would have, but Charmeine was sick of being called a child, being treated like a child. She was no longer a child; she was simply underestimated.

"What a stupefaction it is, isn't it?" were all the words she managed in the end. After all, she was pretty sure she was on every angel's list of 'least to turn against Him'.

"It'd be lie to say I wasn't stunned by your decision but still, it was a mistake to switch sides and join our rebellious brother." Uriel answered, solely staring at her, letting the cold atmosphere envelope them in the abandoned area.

A moment passed in which they plainly stared down at each other, neither daring to speak another word before Uriel finally turned his back on her and took off into the starless night. The former angel simply stood still, rooted to her spot as she was left in the quiet and somewhat eerie atmosphere.

But the silence doesn't last longer than half a minute as a static sound breaks the hushed surrounding. Head turns to the source of the abrupt sound as her blue hues spot a radio to a shop by her side, with its windows broken and the counter unoccupied where the device lied down, before an electronic voice interrupts the static.

"Today's weather forecast, December 24-"

And as sudden as the sound interrupted the silence seconds ago, the voice dies as the radio does.

"Stop right there and hands up!"

But for Charmeine, it seemed that there won't be any total silence for the following minutes.

_So it begins._

* * *

_"You gave Him what he asked for. I gave Him what He needed."_

The last words Michael said to him before he flew away. What made it worse was the fact that he took off out of shame once he learned that he failed His test. And what an idiot he was to believe Michael- that it was just a test when in was clearly not one.

No, He simply got tired of humanity; end of story, nothing else, that's all. But then there was his brother, twisting the story to how he saw fit just because he disobeyed his orders? Because _'He shouldn't lose faith now'_?

No, Gabriel will be the son to give what his father asks for; the one willing to comply with his father's orders and requests unlike his brother, the rebellious son.

"Hello brother."

"Gabriel-"

An attempt to sit up fails the other as Gabriel swiped his foot under Michael's leg as he fell back on his back, another groan escaping him, blue eyes with nothing else written on them save alarm. But why wouldn't he be alarmed when he had many reasons to be to? But emotion was never that easy to see in Michael during times like these and the visible fright vanishes in a few seconds only to be replaced with determination.

"You didn't really think I'd give up that fast, do you?"

"I never doubted it. You'll always come back until the task is done." Michael answered, staying down in his spot but this time, the unwavering gaze of his was now interlaced with something else- worry. But as always, there had to be effort to see such an emotion in his eyes, Michael being a hard person to read at times, but that was enough for Gabriel to know what exactly was going on through his brother's head.

"A task undone is nothing to Him." he simply answered, staring the other male down before his eyes came across his neck where the metal collar should've been but alas, nothing was there. It seemed even though he returned as an angel, he still stood on the opposite side of the river. Funny though he didn't notice the absence of the object when Michael returned. But the question still lingered in Gabriel's mind; how did he come back as an angel?

Michael then answered back, "But that's you, isn't it? You'd do anything as long as you get to please Him. Anything." The last word came out as something else, like the word was bitten down and hardened out and took much more effort to say, each syllable distinctly pronounced. And Gabriel clearly knew what it meant because anything included killing his brother- just what he did on the night of December 25th.

A pause, an exhale, and a blink of his eyes. "Why do this, brother?" Gabriel questioned, watching the other support himself with his elbows as he lied in the sand, clearly making no plans of getting up soon until he was gone. Probably because he was just going to trip him again and again. "Why? Because you love these humans too much? Because they deserve another chance? Because standing alone is so much easier?"

To that, Michael calmly stared back at him as he gave his own honest answer. "Because the evil of some should not be enough for Him to lose faith now. And even if I stand alone on the other side of the river, there's still enough reason for me not to lose faith unlike Him . . . This is why the child was born."

Needless to say, Gabriel was on the lines of 'impressed' with Michael's answer, if he were to be honest. But the unfaltering gaze remains on the other, arms crossed over his chest, as Gabriel let out an almost-inaudible sigh. Because now that he had Michael's answer, it was now very clear that there was nothing else he could do to coax his brother into switching sides.

"This is not yet over, brother."

And with that, Gabriel slowly backed away, taking small steps one by one, as he paced backwards on the sand. Dark wings then spread open, as Michael watched his brother in silence with eyebrows scrunched together. Even though it seemed like he was spared from yet another death, he clearly knew he was simply prolonging the moment for something else. And Michael knew exactly what- that was Jeep and Charlie's ride towards the shelters.

"I know." he answered, staying still in the same position he still was in moments ago. Moving might only further stretch out their time together and Michael wasn't planning on wasting any more precious seconds with the probability of the trio getting in danger without him watching over them.

It doesn't take long before Gabriel yields his gaze from Michael before he takes off, flying in the opposite direction where they had just come from, before Michael struggled to get up, the pain he underwent from the hit all gone now.

That's when he hears the _bang!_ of a gun being shot.

Followed by another, and another.

* * *

"Stop right there and hands up!"

The order startles the female, as she's jerked awake from her thoughts, before she obeys and raises her hands up. But the moment she raises her arms, Charmeine winces in pain as she remembers that with any ever so slight movement of her arm, her back ached terribly. That with any more rough movements, the tightest of her stitches would rip and her blood would trickle down again; she'd lose more blood again. She realized it then when she was dressing up; that with placing a bra then the turtleneck next on pained the muscles on her back as she felt the stitched but still open skin shift unevenly with every move of her arms. Putting on the essential articles of clothing on her lower body hurt more as she was required to bend down. There was also the part where she had tied up her hair, where she thought she'd rip open a few of her ineptly done stitches. After that, she had tried to keep her movement to a minimum.

Then eyes dart as far as they could to get a chance to see where the voice came from. But to no avail does she see another body; at least the voice sounded normal to her, unlike a possessed one's where the tone was usually darker and . . . unearthly.

That's when Charmeine realizes that the source of the voice came from her behind and not within anywhere in her range of sight, given the shock she receives as she felt something close around her right wrist before she feels the same sensation on her left one. It takes a second before her skin feels the cold metal, similar to that of her metal collar before, and there's the small metallic click as she realizes- handcuffs.

Being cuffed was enough for her; she was more than willing to cooperate if it to reassure safety but her captor went way too far by spinning her to face him before pushing her towards the shop's, where she saw the radio, wall alongside it. A sharp pain shot through her body, as her back hits the cement and cuffed wrists pinned above her head, and the former angel lets out an agonized cry as her eyelids fall, enveloping her in the shadows. She would've ignored the pain but no- this was too much for her to endure at the moment.

One thing about her was that she was unaccustomed to pain unlike most of her kind, who were soldiers who fought in battles and were taught to endure pain. Had it not been for the next order and the blinding light behind closed eyes, she would've just let herself slip into oblivion- the ordeal she went through earlier weakened her much more than she expected.

"Hey! Open your eyes and look at me!"

Obediently, eyelids open and surrender to the flashlight held in front of her face only to reveal bloodshot eyes with hues as icy blue hues that was enough to send chills, as she glared daggers at the male, down his spine and lower the flashlight and state in a calmer voice, "Teeth. Show me them teeth."

That's when Charmeine speaks up, having not the patience to go through the procedure. "Are you looking for teeth as sharp as that of a piranha's?" _Because shark's teeth is not enough to cover it; it's an understatement._ "Because I don't have it.

By the time she was finished speaking, the pain her wounded back was enduring was the only thing that was keeping her awake when she was on the verge of succumbing to the darkness; she could already feel a few of her stitches being torn and blood seeping out from her fresh wounds and staining her clothes. Biting down hard on her bottom lip, it was all she could do from letting out another cry out of pain.

With her answer was her captor contented with, or so he seemed as her eyes catch his shoulders loosen. By how close their faces were, Charmeine could see the feature of his face that stood out and identified him- a scar on his right cheek.

"She's safe!" he then shouted, turning behind his shoulder, where the former angel finally made out the forms of humans departing the dark areas around the street, various weapons held in their hands; there's was even a child with them. And that's when her holder faces lets go of her cuffed wrists, switches the flashlight off, and rummages for something in his vest's pockets.

A moment had passed before he fished out a small key from his inner pocket, unlocking her handcuffs and freeing her of the metal mechanism. As her hands massaged each wrist, the redness standing out from her pale skin, Charmeine begins to make the scene of the hidden people awhile ago, salvaging what they could from the abandoned shops. Some were even tidying things up, as if to recollect what had happened before hand.

"Hey- I, uh . . . I'm sorry about the hostile treatment and everything." the apology then enters her mind, spoken by the same voice that was harshly handling ordering her around awhile ago. But Charmeine saw no fault in what he had done any longer; it for their own safety anyway. Even if she was in the same situation, she would've done the almost the same thing. There was no one to blame really. But still, damn did her back hurt. So she's just going to nod her head at his words, eyes glued to the people around her.

"So what's your name?"

"Charmeine. Call me Charm." she answered, briefly glancing at him.

"Charm." the man parroted, nodding his head. "I'm Eric." he then said, offering her a hand which she took and gave a gentle squeeze, her head bobbing up and down in acknowledgement.

"Eric." she repeated, practicing the name as the word danced on her lips. "So, is this . . . what is this? Who are you? I mean, what happened?"

A shrug left the male's shoulders as he pocketed the flashlight in one of his vest's inner pockets before he began talking. "Well, come December 23 which was yesterday, we started getting what we'd normally call 'customers'. Only there was something wrong with them. Y'know, black eyes and no white part, very sharp teeth." Eric explained, looking around the desolated town. "At first, 'twas just the customers but they began to attack and speak ominous messages like 'He's coming' and other bullshit. Just saw a man get his whole hand ripped off this afternoon by one of those monsters. A few o' us shopkeepers survived and ran away. And after getting some artillery, our militia decided to return here in case there were more sons of bitches to attack. This is the second time we've returned, since last night."

All the while, Charmeine paid attention to each word that left him, arms crossed over her chest, as she focused on his explanation. _'He's coming'. They must've meant either Michael or Gabriel._

And when Eric had done speaking, it was her turn to do so. "Do you mind if I can get your opinion on what these things that attacked you were?" she inquired.

"You kidding me? Of course, there's only one answer; demons. Possessed people. I don't even fucking know why. Maybe because Christmas is near? Y'know, Jesus' birthday or some shit? That's what I think, at least."

To that, she kept absolutely quiet. A hand covered by her sleeve reaches up to fiddle with her swollen bottom lip, which had begun to bleed ever so little, as she pondered on his answer. _Oh, how so wrong you are. You're actually facing the very opposite of what you think these things are._

By that time, she simply keeping her urge to correct Eric under wraps. No, she can't just reveal everything to him. At a time like this and being the newcomer in their supposed militia, there was a big chance they'd refuse to believe her. Because how come it's the angels who possess people? How come it's the exact opposite? And why were they hurting people?

More so, on her own account, did they see her conversing with Uriel?

_But you're right about one thing. The date's not coincidence . . . because the second Messiah is about to be born. And someone has arrived to eliminate the child._

* * *

Author's Note: And here is where I change a little bit about Michael's return as an angel. Let's just say that when he was 'resurrected', the metal collar didn't come back. We good? And on another note, pretty please review? It's really disheartening to see some people did view my work but didn't post any review or even a single comment when I put a lot of effort into writing this. Also, as you can see, Michael and Charmeine's narrations don't happen at the same time . . . yaddah. Different timelines which will eventually interlap when we get to that point.


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